I'm using a Spider-man Classics Venom upper body for a custom and I need to paint the arms and body. I was wondering if anybody has ever opened the top part of the torso? I've got the lower torso cracked pretty easily but the upper torso is a lot thicker. Anyone know the easiest way to crack it?

- drill hole on one side- pry with a small screwdriver- if won't budge, drill on another side- also try on the traps near the base of the neck- the top is extremely well-glued- but it will give you a good "crack" sound on one of those four places and it will open

Quick and sure way to open:

- drill slightly bigger hole on one side- jam in a small firecracker- light it up and it will surely open- glue back all 100 small pieces

the neck is VERY hard to crack open. Mine, split out the back...not a pretty sight either! I took a box blade and cut along the seam to cut the glue a bit at the neck and shoulder....this helps. If this doesn't help, resort to loosecollector 2nd tip!

If I might be so bold in asking, but what are you planning to build with you SMC Venom upper chest? I just so happen to be using SMC Scorpion Venom figure in a custom of my own. Not your average venom custom! Not that I'm say other Venom customs are just average ones....I mean, oh look....BROWNIES!

Using a Venom to make Bane... Keep us posted, I am interested how he comes out. Some of the "what seems difficult" to make are some of the bad bum customs out there. Picture it! Stay focus! Get into a bind, ask for help...that's why we are here! Oh, and for the Brownies too!

Finally got the upper torso cracked. I don't have a dremel tool so cracking figures is a bit harder for me. I use a razor blade to slice through the seams of the figure and then a flat head screw driver to crack it open. It was a lot harder to do on Venom since he's so much thicker than your average figure but I finally got it. Now I just have to select the right paints and a head lol

loosecollector wrote:On your next projects, you can bore holes on your figs even without a drill.Just heat a nail and punch em. The razor technique.... it's unsafe. Almost sliced my palm doing that back then....

Oh believe me I am well aware of how dangerous it is lol. I actually did cut my finger when I was working on this project.... twice lol but I try to be as careful as I can until I can get a dremel. I like the fact that if I do it just right, then sometimes all I have to do is glue the seams to put it back together and it still looks good. If I make a hole then I have to do a little more work to repair the damage. It's no big deal of course but it saves on sculpt lol

If rhe figure is glued heavily or thick- drill or punch holes under the shoulder about mid to high lat on the seam line. Boil tje figure in 45 second intervals. Use an awl if possible to push into the hole. One side. Then the other. Slowly do this. If you see lifting or warping of the plastic, stop, repeat the boiling process, then continue. The heat loosens the glue and keeps the figure from cracking.. Be sure to use tongs or similar to hold the torso so it doesn't touch the bottom of the pot. Pat dry between boiling to avoid burning yourself on with the water stuck in the joints while working. If you must use a razor, this will also make it easier as the plastic is more pliable and the glue is loosened. This process is extremely beneficial for large and hard to crack torso or parts in general. If you are working with staction figures, it is much easier to boil between cutting.For Sota figures- the torsos are solid rubber or larger ones, a weird plastic. Boil and push the rod through using an awl or small screwdriver. The joints on a Sota figure are boil and pop. Mattel Elite-drill and boil as in the first example. To avoid tearing on boil and pop joints as the may get soft- get a string/dental floss. Wrap it over the shoulder so it is between that and the torso. Use that so that when you pull it comes straight out and avoids tearing the joint. You can also use a twisty tie and twist it around the inside of the joint and pull. Another method is to wrap the string around a screw driver clamp the figure down and twist the screwdriver until the slack is taken up and the joint will eventually be pulled out.If you've already applied sculpt to a piece- it is best to use a blow dryer or dry heat to attempt to remove parts. Some smaller details may be loosened by boiling and the sculpt will eventually break off.

Another good trick to use-when sculpting use water or alcohol and a soft brush. Lightly brush over your sculpt after scultpting while they are still wet. This gives it a smoothed natural look as well as keeping rough spots from snagging and eventually lifting up on a finished piece. Not too much because it may remove fine detail. For large smooth areas you can always sand with a few different grits finishing with a fne grit for a smooth surface. Unless you are painting a smooth metallic, you don't want to go too fine. The grit can add texture as well as provide a better surface for paint adherence or an easier surface to drybrush.